


Breaking Point

by LilacPrince



Series: Madame Guillotine [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: (related to kissing/marking but nothing further than that), Chains, Dubious Consent, Revenge, Unhealthy Relationships, Yandere Tendencies, cannibalism in chapter 2, referenced use of sedatives, this somehow got darker than planned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:20:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21973477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacPrince/pseuds/LilacPrince
Summary: Rayne and Dominic push each other to the breaking point.
Series: Madame Guillotine [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581742
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set before the events in Madame Guillotine

The aftermath of war was never pretty, especially for the losing side. The moment Braeye had lost the war Dominic's whole world had collapsed around him, alongside the falling debris of Cyrkia. The wall that Dominic had chased Lawrence and Lucia along when they were children was broken, scattered around, broken black stone strewn over the ground like building blocks for giants that had carelessly been tipped over. The opera in the heart of the city, where Dominic had spent many hours seated next to his mother, mesmerized by the colours and lights, had been set ablaze. Even when Dominic had escaped far enough that he couldn't see the high, red flames lick the sky, he still couldn't escape the black smoke that rose up over the burning carcass of the city. Worst of all was the crowd. The Ashnian soldiers running up and down the street, cheering at the destruction. Laughing at the queen, the renowned warrior, who had been defeated by a knife in the back before she had even set her foot on the battlefield to defend her capital. His mother, mortally wounded before his eyes, as guards had pulled him away from the traitors. His mother, who then, still dressed in her blood stained armor, had been publicly executed.

The weeks after that had been difficult. They had been full of hiding in the lands that he had owned just two weeks ago. They were full of uncertainty and longing after his siblings, as he dared neither to hope they were alive, nor to think the thought that they might not be. The memory of the cheering crowd of Ashnian soldier throwing insults and spite against the betrayed queen, against his _mother,_ burned in his memory. It had been close to consuming him, and if he hadn't found his siblings, found a reason to live again, he was certain he would have succumbed under the tragedy.

Even long after the tragedy, when life had fallen into a nearly comfortable routine at the theatre, things were still terrible. The Ashnians didn't bother hiding their contempt for Braeyeans, and Dominic had been the victim of much harassment. Worst was that he wasn't able to protect those around him, not even Lucia who after a while barely dared to step outside the door. Even as their guards and retainers struggled to keep their living situation up to the standards of royalty, something Lawrence had been quick to shut down, saying the funds could be better spent, it was still rough. The harassment had been one thing, the adjustment from comfortable castles to a small theatre had been another, but worst of all had been the humiliation. The burning pain of rage and humiliation whenever he heard the insults and couldn't retort, whenever he saw Lucia force a smile on her lips at the lords' lingering hands at her waist, whenever he himself had to smile to the leeches that had filled their pockets with Breaye's wealth.

Dominic wasn't sure he would have managed it if he hadn't had Ethan next to him. Ethan, that had never wavered in the face of Breaye's collapse. Ethan, that had always been there with a comfortable touch or a calming word whenever it was too much for Dominic. Ethan, that had remained faithful even when Dominic had been dissolved into a sobbing mess, grieving his mother, his country, the dignity of his siblings. When Dominic hadn't been strong enough to go on, Ethan had somehow managed to stand right beside him, and hold his broken shards together long enough for Dominic to remember how to do it himself.

In contrast, every moment Dominic had to spend in Rayne's company was torture. The humiliation and shame burned in him, hidden behind a forced smile. It was too great of an opportunity to pass up. Rayne was a way to get closer to the king, an opening to finally take revenge, and he was generous with gifts that helped fund the revenge. The actor that Rayne had claimed as his, Caspian that smiled and laughed when Rayne picked him up and spun around with him, couldn't afford to reject the crown prince of Ashnium. The humiliation that burned underneath his skin, in the deep hole in himself where he had pushed his identity as Dominic down, was covered up with flirty smiles and giggles.

It only became worse with time. At first Rayne would come during performances, and then spend the time afterwards showering Dominic with compliments and kisses. It was torture, but it was endurable. A few smiles, a few kisses, and then he'd have another piece of jewelry in his hands that would pay rent for the month. But soon that wasn't enough for Rayne. He started coming around even when the theatre wasn't putting on a performance, pulling Dominic away from the rest of the company. His visits lasted longer, the kisses became hungrier, and it wasn't long until Dominic found himself pushed up against the wall in his room as Rayne's teeth marked his neck. Thankfully Ethan had managed to interrupt, providing Dominic with the means to escape.

It became harder to keep his forced smile on his lips, as Rayne's visits became longer and more frequent, as the touches became bolder and bolder, as Ethan was steadily running out of excuses to interrupt. As soon as the marks started to fade on Dominic's neck, Rayne was there adding new ones. Whenever Dominic tried to pull away Rayne's arms closed tighter around his waist. His jealousy became stronger as well, his eyes going dark whenever Dominic spent a little too long speaking to someone else. Everything from grovelling to their patrons to helping Gustave cook dinner ignited Rayne's jealousy, which lead to him roughly pulling Dominic away and new marks being added to Dominic's skin.

Public outings became a new, horrible routine, where Dominic was forced to smile even when he felt the harsh, judgeful stares from the Ashnian people. With Rayne making their relationship so very public, the people took it as an invitation to punish the Breayean actor that they deemed unworthy of their prince. The insults became harder, sometimes with the added impact of rocks. Dominic ended up staying inside the theatre, holed up in his room, for a moment of respite from the harsh life Caspian lead. He wondered if this had been Rayne's plan from the beginning, or if Rayne really was so stupid and oblivious he hadn't realised what the consequences would be if the public knew about their relationship. He couldn't decide which was worse.

Even though Dominic struggled to step around the jealousy and the isolation, he could still feel his world growing smaller in Rayne's arms. He still found himself pushed up against the wall again, his wrists pinned into the wood, and wishing for Ethan. He still found a strained smile on his lips whenever Rayne's eyes were on him, playing the role of a good, obedient little toy. Even when one of their kinder patrons, after making the bad decision of complimenting Dominic's vibrant speech in the final act, disappeared. Even when Lilia had to come help him bandage his arm after a rock had hit him for daring to go outside. Even when Rayne's jealousy shackled him to his room. Even then, the shaky smile never left Dominic's face as he struggled to keep up the facade of Caspian.

It really shouldn't have come as a surprise that he sought console in Ethan's arms. That he clinged to Ethan whenever the chains of jealousy became too much, that he pushed his face into Ethan's chest as he trembled. That when the bubbling hate and revulsion underneath the surface boiled over, Ethan was there to help him calm down. Ethan was the only one would could make Dominic feel safe, feel like himself again. That reminded him of his identity as Dominic, not the role of Caspian. Ethan's fingers that felt so soft and gentle in his hair, so different from when Rayne did the very same motion. The kiss, that was soft and sweet, a gentle act of love, so different from Rayne's hungry kisses. Where Rayne's hands were rough and constricting Ethan's were comforting and warm. The way Ethan pulled away, stuttering out apologies, his cheeks flushed... All of it wiped the pain of Rayne away from him, and all Dominic could do was clutch Ethan's shirt and pull him back for another kiss. The hushed love confessions, in Breayean instead of the dreadful common language, between soft kisses, was enough to fill Dominic with energy. A ray of sunshine in his grey cage, a reminder that life wasn't so bad. It made Dominic long for the moment they could flee the capital, not only because they would have revenge, or that he would never have to suffer through Rayne's company anymore, but for the promise that when they left he'd be free to love Ethan openly.

It made the public outings more endurable, when Dominic could spend the carriage ride dreaming of Ethan. It brought a genuine smile to his lips for the first time in so very long. It even made Rayne's company less suffocating, when he could tune out Rayne's talking in favour of repeating Ethan's soft love confession in his head. _"Your Highness... I'm sorry, I know it's selfish of me. I shouldn't have stayed by your side, harboring these feelings but I... I-"_

"Darling." Rayne's voice cut through, his voice a sharp contrast to Ethan's soft murmur. It took an effort to push the daydreaming away, but Dominic lifted his head and reluctantly turned his attention to Rayne again.

"Yes?"

"We're here." The words were followed by a squeeze to his hand, and something that Dominic couldn't place shifted over Rayne's face for a moment. But as quickly as it had arrived, Rayne withdrew his hand, and it was gone again. Dominic wasn't certain he wanted to know what that had been, but it made worry spark in his stomach. Maybe he should have paid attention to what Rayne had been saying in the carriage, a suspicion that only grew when he followed Rayne out of the carriage and found himself standing out in the thick of the forest. The sunshine was filtered through the green leaves above, gently caressing the ground. A soft wind ran through the trees’ crowns, making the grass and the flowers bob their heads. It really wasn't like any other of the outings Rayne had dragged him to,, as Rayne had a taste for the finery in life, and didn't count nature into that. Dominic had always liked forests, but right now it made him feel out of place. This clearly wasn't an ordinary outing, and the easiness that had lived in his chest during the ride was melting away, replaced by cold worry.

"Where exactly are we?" he asked, glancing around himself, trying to find a clue to what was going on. But all that he found was trees, bushes and grass, looming in over him. Nothing that felt like Rayne's regular taste for romantic outings. Rayne flashed a smile at him, but that only made Dominic's stomach turn even more.

"You'll see", he said, before he turned to his guard and mumbled something. Dominic wrapped his arms around himself, shivering in the cold that washed over him. He couldn't tell if it was the weather or his own uneasiness, but he didn't like it either way.

When Rayne returned he held out his hand to Dominic. He obediently unwrapped himself and took Rayne's hand. Without a word Rayne lead him away through the forest, and it took a few steps until Dominic noticed that the guards weren't following. It made him even more anxious, but perhaps this was just part of the surprise. Rayne had never been one to worry too much about his personal safety. He was reckless, and leaving his guards behind was just like him. But it made Dominic uneasy, he would have preferred the guards. But just as he was about to point it out, Rayne stopped. As Dominic fell into place at Rayne's side, his eyes caught sight of the reason they had stopped. Right in front of him the ground opened up, a broad hole in the earth. A wooden door was lying on the grass, opened to allow entry to the ground. Around the hole a metal frame had been put up, stopping the grass and the earth from spilling further into the hole. Steps had been carved out, leading down into the gaping darkness. It looked old, very old, and unused. Before Dominic had the time to take in just what it could be, Rayne started walking down the stairs, pulling Dominic with him.

The stairs were rather narrow, and dwindled far down in the ground, the darkness swallowing him whole as he was pulled further down. Earth covered the wooden steps, the black stone closing in on him from the sides. Rayne was walking in front of him, his grip tight on Dominic's hand, and the only way for Dominic to know where he was supposed to put his feet. His eyes had a hard time adjusting to the darkness that wrapped itself around him, the fading light in his back soon becoming useless as they went further down in the earth. Normally during their outings Rayne would be talking, about everything from his daily life to giving Dominic loving compliments, but now he was eerily quiet. It reminded Dominic of the darkness that splashed in Rayne's eyes whenever the jealousy made itself known again, as well as the way Rayne had looked at him in the carriage earlier. Dominic didn't like this.

After a while the space in the ground opened up, and a vast space opened up before him. A few torches lined the walls, but it was hardly enough to light up the space around them. It wasn't enough to stave off the darkness that crept in from all sides. From the ceiling, down the walls, and up from the floor. As far as Dominic could see, there were no furniture, but as he was lead through he noticed the space held something else - iron bars, reaching up from floor to roof, closing off parts of the space. They were cells, that lined the walls. It was cold, and a shiver ran through Dominic.

"Rayne? What's going on?" Dominic asked, his worry spiking.

"I wanted to talk to you. Privately, with no interruptions or eavesdroppers."

"We could have talked up in the forest. An old dungeon isn't exactly the most, well, romantic choice", Dominic said, trying one of his smiles again. Those always worked on Rayne, but now all it earned him was a painful squeeze on his hand. "Ow, Rayne, it hurts. Could you-?"

His question was cut short as Rayne suddenly jerked on his arm, pulling him into one of the cells. A gasp of pain as well as surprise escaped Dominic's mouth as he stumbled into the cell. The grip on his fingers hurt even more, as well as his arm after the rough treatment, but all of it faded in the face of the fear that welled up inside him. Rayne hadn't acted like this even during his worst fits of jealousy, and if jealousy wasn’t the cause of all this... Had Rayne seen through him? Had he realised Dominic's true identity? If that was the case, how? What would happen to him now? Had Rayne brought him here to kill him, or to torture him? His heart sped as Dominic tried to calculate his best chances of escaping. If he managed to surprise Rayne, would he have the upperhand in battle? Would he manage to overpower Rayne, knock him out or strangle him? If he killed Rayne here and now, it would most likely take the guards at least a little while to find out that the prince was dead, leaving Dominic room to escape. It'd be difficult in the forest, especially since he didn't know exactly where he was, but he could manage it. But would he make it back to town before the guards, would he be able to warn the others in time? If he was quick about it he might be able to take Rayne hostage, but that was risky as well. Maybe if he wounded him... A broken arm should stop Rayne from fighting back too much.

Before Dominic could reach a decision Rayne grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall. Rayne's lips were on Dominic's, hungry and possessive, as usual. His teeth nibbled in Dominic's lower lip, dragging a surprised whine from Dominic. When Rayne finally pulled back Dominic's lip was raw, and he was out of breath. He stared up at Rayne, struggling to figure out what was going on, as his chest heaved. Rayne's eyes were dark, and not only by the dim light from the torches outside. There was something there as well, something that Dominic hadn't seen before. A coldness, a rage. Even as a smile stretched out over Rayne's face, and as his hand came to rest on Dominic's cheek, it was still terrifying.

"It's incredible, really, Caspian", Rayne said softly. "How you manage to look lovely even when frightened."

"Rayne...", Dominic tried, fear closing up his throat. "What's going on?"

"To tell the truth, I'm rather angry at you, my love. Or... Livid, might be a better word."

"What for?"

Dominic quietly flexed his fingers, getting ready to fight.. If Rayne knew that he was the crown prince of Breaye, then there was no way he was going to let him leave this place. Dominic's only chance of escape was to knee him in the stomach, punch him in the throat, and then try to make it back to theatre. If he was lucky he'd make it back in time to get the company to disappear before the guards noticed them. But if he was stuck here, underground, there was no way that the others would survive. He had to fight, it was the only option that gave him even a slight chance to save them.

"You cheated on me."

All the air escaped from Dominic, the confusion freezing him. He stared up at Rayne, struggling to make sense of the words, as he slowly realised they weren't down here because his secret had been discovered. Rayne didn't know who he really was, no, all the anger was just more jealousy. More chains that he wrapped around Dominic, but he wasn't planning on killing him or the company. This was something Dominic could handle, he knew how to diffuse Rayne's temper. He let his arm fall.

"What makes you think that?"

A gasp of pain pushed itself out of his mouth when Rayne suddenly pushed him harder into the wall. Rayne took a hard grip of his chin, making Dominic look up at him. Rayne's eyes were dark, full of fury, as he snarled at Dominic.

"You really thought you could get away with it? You should know by now that I have my eyes on you at all times, and you thought you could get away with kissing another man?"

Wait... Was he talking about Ethan?... Worry brewed in Dominic's stomach again, this time at the possibility that Rayne's new fit of jealousy wasn't just based on "you talked too much with that person". If Rayne somehow had found about Ethan... Then that was an actual problem. Their patron that had disappeared entered Dominic's mind, and the mere thought made his body run cold. That had only been over one too many compliments, who knew what Rayne was capable of if he had proof that Dominic had been unfaithful.

"Rayne", Dominic tried in a calming voice. "It's a misunderstanding. We were just practising for the next play. There's this certain technique actors use where it looks like you're kissing but you're actually-"

"I don't believe you."

The words were a knife in his stomach. His heart started racing in his chest, edged on by the fear welling up into his chest, filling him to the brim. This was bigger than Rayne's usual jealousy, deeper and darker, more violent. Dominic could already feel bruises form on his skin from Rayne's harsh grips, something that had never happened before. Rayne had never been particularly considerate, had always been rough, but he had never actually harmed Dominic before. The roughness only ever came out as a show of ownership, showing others the Dominic belonged to him. But none of it had ever resulted in bruises, had never been accompanied by such a dark look. Rayne truly was livid, and it was starting to truly frighten Dominic.

"Rayne, please, let me explain-"

"Quiet!"

Pain burned in his cheek, his skin catching fire when the back of Rayne's hand connected with it. The strength of the slap whipped Dominic's head to the side, his eyes blurry with pain. He quickly squeezed his jaw together, refusing to make a single noise of pain. He closed his eyes, and simply breathed, let the pain wash over him. It would fade eventually, and no matter how it hurt he'd never give an Ashnian the satisfaction of seeing him cry. Something warm trickled down his cheek, and he slowly realised that the ring on Rayne’s hand had cut him.

The blood ran down his cheek and down to his jawline. Rayne... had hurt him. Had drawn blood. Rayne, who had never given him as much as a bruise before, had now slapped him, had wounded him. It took a moment for it to process in Dominic's head, for it all to fit together. It didn't fit with the image of Rayne that Dominic had. It didn't fit with the man that always wrapped his arms around Dominic's waist, the man that kissed him so much that Dominic was out of breath, the man that was never late with a compliment. Was this who Rayne truly was, a man that lashed out at the people he claimed to love when they wouldn't get in line? Hate brew in him, and he dearly wanted to break something in Rayne’s body..

Rayne pulled away from him, walking over to the other side of the cell. Dominic let his head hang, staring down into the floor. He slowly reached up to his cheek, feeling the blood smearing at his touch. He regarded his bloody fingertips, the blood looking black in the dim light. He heard Rayne sigh, but he kept his head down. He wasn't sure he would be able to keep himself from attacking if he looked at Rayne at this moment.

"Do you know what the punishment is for adulterers in Ashnian law?" Rayne asked. Dominic kept quiet for a moment, wondering if this was a rhetorical question, a test of his obedience to the earlier command of silence. But when Rayne was quiet as well, Dominic answered.

"No."

"Forty lashes."

"Is that what you intend to do with me then? Is that why you brought me here?"

The silence was heavy, as Dominic awaited his judgement. He kept his eyes on the ground, as he tried to form a strategy. Fighting was still very much a possibility, and if he could just make it through the woods... The guards would pose a problem, but if he took Rayne hostage then that wouldn't be any issues either. Then his main problem would be making it back in time. 

"No...", Rayne finally said. "No, I can't do that."

The sound of wood scraping against stone reached Dominic's ears, and he looked up. Rayne was seated in a chair at the other wall, leaned back and staring into the wall to his left, like he wasn't able to look at Dominic either. The silence between them was heavy, as Dominic turned Rayne's answer over in his head. He wasn't certain that he would make it out of this unharmed, no matter Rayne's promises. Rayne had already hurt him once, and from there it was a small step to hurting him more. Just by bringing Dominic to this old dungeon, where Rayne thought he'd be able to to do whatever he wanted without anyone noticing, he had already shown that he was planning on some sort of punishment. Was flogging really that far away from Rayne's reach, in that case?

"Now, Ethan on the other hand...", Rayne said, his voice cold and even. Once again the fear crashed down over Dominic, freezing him to the spot. Ethan...

Dominic's fingers curled into his sleeves as he wrapped his arms around himself, struggling to keep his breathing under control. Ethan was the target? Was he the one who would be lashed in Dominic's place? Would he disappear, like the patron? How wounded would Ethan be? Would Rayne be satisfied with hurting him, or would he kill him? If Dominic ran right now, could he make it back in time? They had travelled far with the carriage, it would take time on foot. Dominic didn't know the way either. He could follow the tracks the carriage had made, but that would make it easy for the guards that had accompanied them to find him. If he was captured again, would Ethan take that punishment as well, or would it push Rayne to finally let Dominic be the sole target of his wrath?

Would he even be able to make it anyway, or had the orders already been carried out? Had Rayne whisked him away so he wouldn't be able to step in when the guards harmed Ethan? Had he spent the carriage ride dreaming about Ethan while Ethan himself was facing the consequences for their relationship? The orders Rayne had given the guards earlier, had that been Ethan's death warrant? Had Dominic been busy wondering what kind of romantic outing he'd have to endure this time while Rayne had ordered Ethan's death? Would Ethan be there when Dominic returned to the theatre, his body on display like some sick warning to what happened when Dominic was disobedient? Or would he be gone, never to be found again, swallowed up by Rayne's jealousy?

Ethan, with his soft smiles and gentle words. Ethan, whose strong arms wrapped themselves around Dominic, keeping him safe from anything and everything. Ethan, who let his fingers run through Dominic's hair, whispering sweet nothings in Breayean at night. Who loved and cherished where Rayne claimed and dominated. Who had stayed by Dominic's side even when the Breayean throne dissolved, even when Dominic couldn't afford his wages anymore, when Dominic had nothing to offer. Who had remained loyal through treason, through the fall of their country, through suffering and pain. Who somehow thought of himself as selfish for reciprocating Dominic's feelings.

Who now would bleed for that loyalty, would face the consequences for loving a man unable to protect him, would suffer for Dominic. Ethan, that would forever carry the scars on his back. That would have blood running down his skin, far more than the single line of blood on Dominic's cheek. That might disappear, forever be pulled from Dominic's reach. Had that time this morning, when Ethan had smiled and softly ran his thumb over Dominic's cheek, wishing him luck for the day, had that... had it been the last time he had seen him?

Dominic looked up at Rayne again. Rayne was staring off into the wall, his head rested in his palm. The explosive fury had cooled a couple degrees, but it was still there, trembling underneath the cold surface. It was visible in his clenched jaw, and the way he thumped his fingers against his leg. A rhythmic _thump, thump, thump_ , the only outlet for the anger that was building up again inside him. Dominic had seen it enough times to know that Rayne soon would explode again, even if he never had reason to fear harm before. But that knowledge also gave him an option, a way to direct Rayne's anger at another target, and hopefully at least lessen the harm that would fall on Ethan.

Humiliation had been a constant, loyal, companion ever since his mother's death. Sometimes the distance between them became greater, sometimes Dominic felt like himself again, but it never went away. He should be used to it by now, but the bitter taste in his mouth still burned, still made his skin crawl, as he slowly walked up to Rayne, his steps echoing in the dark cell. He despised himself for sinking this low, despised Rayne for making him do this, but he had no choice. His fingers itched, a reminder that he had another option, but that was a selfish notion. Hurting Rayne would be satisfying for certain, but it would also seal Ethan's fate. If Dominic wanted to save Ethan's life, there was only one thing he could do. Ethan had suffered a lot for his loyalty, now it was Dominic's turn.

Rayne glanced up at him when Dominic reached him, but Dominic kept his eyes down. As bile rose in the back of his throat, edged on by the humiliation that made his stomach twist in knots, Dominic fell to his knees. He crawled in between Rayne's legs, resting his forehead against Rayne's knee, and clutched at Rayne's trousers. The words he would have to say burned like acid in his mouth, and it was with all his willpower, all his love for Ethan, that he managed to push them over his lips. 

"I'm sorry." 

It was only then, with that humiliating lie over his lips, that the rest managed to flow after. All the lies that burned and clawed their way out of his throat. They were the coals he had to run over to reach Ethan's salvation, and he would do it. Anything to spare Ethan from harm, even these painful lines that he had to sell. So he clutched at the fabric his fingers could reach, imagined Ethan behind closed eyes, and let the lies flow. 

"Rayne, please, I'm sorry. It was a mistake, an accident. I never meant to betray you, I promise. I love you, Rayne, please..." 

"Yet you kissed someone else." 

"By accident!" Dominic clung to the excuse, deeply grateful that he had chosen a theatre company as a cover. "We were just practising a scene for the next play, a stage kiss, nothing more. It wasn't meant as an actual kiss, I promise. The kiss was an accident, I miscalculated a little, it wasn't on purpose. I'm sorry, Rayne. I'm so very sorry." 

He hated the words, hated himself for saying them, hated having to hear the lies he was forced to spill. But it was all worth it when he felt Rayne's fingers through his hair. His fingers slowly made their way through his hair, twisting some strands between them. It was a sign that what Dominic was saying was working. If Rayne had returned to the softer touches, maybe his jealousy was cooling down enough to let Ethan be. 

"Please", he tried, tears coating his eyelashes. He sniffled pathetically, pulling Rayne's attention to the fact that he was crying, hoping it would lure out some mercy. "Please, Rayne. Don't hurt him for my mistake. He didn't mean anything, he would never actually try to do that, he..." Dominic had to swallow, to try to ease the nausea welling up inside him at the thought of what he was going to say. "He knows that I belong to you." 

"You think so?" Rayne asked, his voice cold. Dominic's breath trembled, as he tried to figure out what that meant. Had he pushed too far too soon? Should he have begged more before bringing Ethan up? But Rayne's fingers were still playing with Dominic's hair, so he must be doing something right. Maybe... Dominic took a shaky breath, trying to prepare himself for his next move. 

"Punish me. Hit me again, if it will make you feel better. Whip me, give me those forty lashes. I'm the one at fault here, Rayne, I was the one that miscalculated. I'm the one who hurt you. If someone should suffer for it, let it be me. Please..." 

Rayne's fingers found Dominic's chin, and as he pulled Dominic followed obediently, looking up at the man before him. The tears blurred his vision, now flowing freely down his cheeks. He had pretended to cry many times on stage, but never before had he actually allowed tears to run. He had told himself that he would never cry where an Ashnian could see, would never show the damage they did. But here he was, on his knees, with tears of fear and worry for Ethan flowing, hoping that they would call forward some sort of mercy from the crown prince of Ashnium. He hated himself, but his love for Ethan far exceeded his pride. He would sink as low as needed if it would save Ethan from pain. 

When Dominic's eyes focused through the tears, he saw the result of his begging. Rayne's eyes had softened, and was again full of delusioned adoration. With a thumb he reached up and gently stroke away a tear, softly shushing him. Dominic pushed down the sniffles, tried to stop the flow of the tears now that they had served their purpose. But they only kept flowing, and when Rayne's lips found Dominic's cheek, the one that wasn't red with blood, it was wet with salty tears. 

"It's okay, love, I believe you", Rayne mumbled softly, and the relief completely drained Dominic. A shaky sigh left his lips as he collapsed onto Rayne, his head in Rayne's lap as the tears kept running. This time he let them run, let the relief of saving Ethan overshadow the humiliation that bubbled underneath. Rayne kept softly shushing as he pet Dominic's hair. 

"It's okay, I forgive you", Rayne mumbled gently. "It was an accident, right? It's okay, love. I won't hurt you, I promise." 

It took a moment for Dominic to calm down, for the tension to let go, for the emotions to calm themselves down. It took a while for him to even himself out enough to put the mask of Caspian back on. The tears and fear he had showed Rayne was real, the only real emotions he had ever shown Rayne, and it was difficult at first to put the pieces of the facade back together. But after a while he had calmed down enough for his breathing to even out, for the tears to stop. He leaned back and wiped his cheeks, taking deep breaths to push the rest of the emotions down. He still had a role to play. 

When it was clear Dominic had calmed down enough to stop crying and clinging to him, Rayne stood up from the chair. He ran his fingers through Dominic's hair one more time, and when Dominic glanced up Rayne smiled softly. It was one of his usual smiles, the one he was never late to give Dominic. The one that meant that his jealous tantrum was over. Dominic had weathered this one too, had pulled through, and had saved Ethan as well. It had taken a lot, but it was over. It was finally, finally over. 

Rayne walked towards the door of the cell, and Dominic climbed up on his feet again. He was forgiven, it was all okay. He'd be more careful from now on. Maybe if they only kissed on stage, pretending to practise more "stage kisses". Or maybe if they only kissed when they could be absolutely sure Rayne's eyes were far, far away. He'd have to find out how he managed to spy on them, but he could manage it. He couldn't afford another slipup, had to be careful, couldn't let anything happen to- 

A loud rattling filled the space, cutting off Dominic's train of thought. He turned his head towards the noise, and his heart stopped in his chest as he saw that the cell door had been pulled shut. With Dominic on the wrong side of it. 

"Rayne-", Dominic coughed out, his eyes wide as he watched Rayne lock the door, and calmly put the key in his pocket. He rushed forward, grabbing hold of the bars and shook them roughly, even though he knew it was pointless. "Rayne! What are you doing?!" 

"Don't worry, my love, this is just so I know where I have you. You have shown I can't trust you, so you'll stay right here. At least until you've earned back my trust."

"You...", Dominic stared at Rayne, his hatred bursting through as he stared at Rayne's calm face. He didn't show any guilt or shame for what he did, for keeping Dominic locked in a cell like a disobedient pet. Instead he had the gall to smile at Dominic, as if he was pleased with himself. He even used that damn nickname, another slap in the face. Dominic's jaw snapped together, his teeth grinding into each other, as he tried to push down the spiteful comments he wanted to spit. "You said you forgave me." 

"I have, I meant that. You're all forgiven", Rayne hushed softly, and reached his hand between the bars. The opening, a moment of softness, the slight hope that he could still get himself out, was enough for Dominic to still his muscles and allow Rayne to touch him. His core shrieked with the lust to break Rayne's arm, to bend it backwards between the bars until it snapped, but he remained completely still as Rayne stroke his cheek. "But that doesn't mean I trust you. Not yet, at least. Don't worry, continue like this and you'll be out of here in no time." 

Continue like this? Continue debasing himself, crawling and crying for a master who only caged and constricted? Continue begging when all he received was blood down his cheeks and a near future in a lonely cell? Rayne hadn't even put him in the dungeons in the royal castle, no, he was put in an isolated, abandoned old dungeon where no one in the company would find him. Leslie couldn't break him out if they didn't know where he was. No way of contacting anyone. He'd be stuck here, a decoration, a pretty little toy to entertain whenever Rayne bothered with a visit. Left to rot for daring to step out of line, for straying from his master's side if so even for a moment. He shouldn't have expected anything less. Rayne was his father's son. All he knew was treachery and torture, and in his delusioned world he'd tricked himself into believing it was love. Rayne withdrew his hand before Dominic could fulfill his wish to break it, and smiled once more. 

"Bye for now, my love." 

Forget breaking his arm. That wasn't enough. Dominic wanted to rip it off, wanted to break each finger, wanted to rip Rayne's throat open. He wanted to tear it open and quench his thirst with the blood. Wanted to force Rayne to beg just like he had forced Dominic to, wanted to make the great crown prince of Ashnium crawl, cry and beg. The lust for revenge filled him, just like it had done when he heard the news of his mother. As Rayne's steps disappeared down the hall, echoing in the vast, empty space, the anger broke through Dominic's defenses. He pulled in the bars, shaking them back and forth with all his strength, imagined his hands closing around Rayne's throat as he pulled. 

"Rayne!" he yelled, slamming his fist into the iron bars over and over again, ignoring the blood that soon coated the iron. "Rayne! You can't leave me here! Rayne, let me out! Rayne! RAYNE!" 

But Rayne's steps kept fading away down the hall, it's tempo unfaced by Dominic's calls. He didn't for a second reconsider, didn't even for a second ponder if what he was doing was sane. He just kept walking, determined that the best way to keep Dominic faithful was to lock him up and leave him to rot in an underground cell. He had no food, no way to stave off the cold, and sooner or later the few torches that had been lit would go out. He'd be left there, in the worst conditions since he lost his mother, and Rayne _dared_ to say it was for love. Dominic let out a last scream of rage as he threw himself against the iron bars. But his cage held steady, not budging in the slightest. Far off a thud was heard, and the dim light wavered, until the diminished light that remained found itself steady again. He had been left, all alone underground. 

With a defeated sigh Dominic slid down on the ground, leaning his head against the bars. All that humiliation, the painful lies, the begging... It had all been for nothing. Rayne had had his mind made up from the beginning. He must have loved the show Dominic had put on, the tears and the pleading. All the things he adored on stage, now in a private performance just for him. His lovely little toy doing it's best to please him, even if it would all be for nothing. And... what did that mean for Ethan?

"I'm sorry, Ethan", Dominic whispered to the empty cell. For once, the words were genuine. “I’m so sorry." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place a little after the events of Madame Guillotine. 
> 
> Beware the warnings!!

The first thing he noticed was the cold.

Rayne's head was pounding, his eyes unfocused, the world blurry. The unfamiliar cold around him was the only thing that managed to cut through the mist, a connection back to reality. Why was the cold so... foreign? It was because... He had been warm before. The theatre. He had been at the theatre, and it always overheated at the end of long performances. Sweat had stuck his clothes to his skin, despite the fan he used to stay cool, despite the refreshments he had been offered. Now the sweat had turned to ice, and he shivered against the cold that had laced itself around his throat.

The rest of his senses fought their way through the mist of his mind, and he became faintly aware of the cracking of a fire nearby, a try to fight off the cold that loomed over the room. But it was coupled with... Clinking. Soft, gentle, familiar. It sounded like... cutlery? As the thought entered his mind he was hit with the smells of cooked food. Meat, potatoes, a sauce that smelled heavenly. But when his eyes finally focused it wasn't food that was the first thing he saw, but light.

Lit candles lined the table before him, glowing softly in the dark room. The light candle wax slowly spilled over the candelabras, and down towards the red tablecloth, heavy over the large table. On the other side of the table, far off, he could see dark walls climbing up, the windows cracked and dirty. Darkness spilled in through the holes in the glass, and with it the cold. The cold that wrapped itself around him as he realised what all of it meant. He wasn't at the theatre anymore. He didn't know where he was, and, most frightening of all, had no idea how. As he glanced around he noticed that moving his head hurt, and when he raised his hand to check why his blood turned to ice. A chain was wrapped around his neck, keeping him in the chair. His hands flew to the chain, pulling in it, struggling to get his mind to work through the suffocating mist. His heart raced in his chest. His fast breathing strained against the stiff chain, and he pulled in it more.

"You know", a voice said next to him, and Rayne whipped his head that way. Caspian was sitting to Rayne's left, at the head of the table. He was wearing his white outfit, the one from the play, that had been splashed with red blood. The blood was still on him, seemingly black with only the red glitter the lights revealed showing it’s true colour. Before him was a plate of silver, filled with steamingly hot food. The lights from the candles cast deep shadows in his golden curls as he picked up another piece of meat on his fork and studied it. "I never really enjoyed Ashnian food. Leslie and Gustave did what they could, of course, but I never got used to it. But this? This is amazing."

Caspian put the piece in his mouth, and closed his eyes in bliss as he chewed. He leaned his head slightly to the side, and the locks smoothly followed him. For a moment all Rayne could do was stare, still clutching the chain, struggling to figure out what was happening. Why was Caspian here? Where were they? How could Caspian look so calm? What was happening?!

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice rough in his throat. "Caspian, where-"

"My name's not Caspian."

His voice... Flat, indifferent, just like his eyes, as he cut another piece of the meat. It was like he had shared what would be his next role's name, not dissolving Rayne's entire world for every word. Was this some sort of joke? Why was he acting like this? Was this... was this a mean prank? Or something else?

"What?"

"My name", Caspian repeated. "It's not Caspian." He put the fork in his mouth, and once more closed his eyes in bliss. He chewed slowly, thoughtfully, savouring every second. It seemed his meal was more important than Rayne.

"What are you talking about? Is this some sort of joke?"

"Gods, you're so slow", Caspian sighed as he stabbed the meat with his fork, his jaw clenched in annoyance. "My name is not Caspian. Really, Rayne, you can't be that dumb. I may be good enough to fool the others in the capital, but I'm not _that_ good of an actor. You must have guessed it already."

Rayne stared dumbly at Caspian, trying to figure out what the hell the man was talking about. Guessed? Guessed what? What had there been to guess? Something he had missed? Something important, something that should have told Rayne that Caspian wasn't... Caspian. But as Caspian stared at him, expecting an answer, Rayne found his mouth empty. Caspian's heavy eyes made Rayne's heart speed up again, and he once more struggled with the chain, trying to get it off or at least loosen a bit.

"What the hell is going on?!" Rayne yelled, pulling in the chain with all his might. The panic broke through his defenses, crashing down over him. His heart raced in his chest, beating so fiercely it felt like it was about to break. Air was caught in his throat as he strained his muscles against the chain, trying to push himself up from the chair, leaving him gasping. His pulse was swimming in his head, drowning out all the noise except his own gasps and the thud when his knee hit the table. But despite the efforts, despite his thrashing, neither the chair or chain moved. Soon enough the panic burned itself out, and Rayne had to slump back down in the chair, his shoulders heaving as he struggled to breathe. His fingers bled, smearing blood on the chain that he clutched. Tears of fear and hopelessness burned in his eyes. He had no results to show for his effort, nothing but exhausted muscles and terror seated deep in his chest.

As Rayne realised he really was being held captive, he slowly looked back at Caspian. The man, the person Rayne had thought he knew, who had captivated him on stage, that he was _in love with,_ sat lazily leaned back in the chair. His hair hanged down in his face, the candles casting deep shadows in the blonde hairstrands and over his calm, collected face. Worst was the look in Caspian's eyes, the calm, calculating indifference, as he patiently waited for Rayne to tire himself out. They were so much colder than Rayne had ever seen them before. Silence spread out between them. Rayne was unsure what to do, what Caspian wanted from him. Caspian on the other hand seemed to have all the time in the world, waiting for the situation to really sink into Rayne. The entire time his dark eyes were on Rayne, piercing him. He shivered again, but this time not from the cold in the room.

"You should eat before it goes cold", Caspian said finally, nodding towards the plate that Rayne now noticed was before him. It was in the same silver, perfectly laid up. The same meat, potatoes and sauce that adorned Caspian's plate, beckoning him with delicious smells. Rayne's stomach turned, worry and confusion closing up his throat as he stared down at the plate. A metallic taste coated his mouth. The metal on his tongue brought with it a memory, something that closed up his throat even more.

"You drugged me", Rayne whispered out as the realisation sank in. His eyes didn't leave the plate in front of him, too scared to look up at Caspian. "The wine, that- that Liam gave me. During the intermission of the play. Be-because the theatre was so warm, it- it was... drugged."

“His real name is Lawrence, but yes", Caspian corrected. "He is a master at cooking up sedatives. Of course, he has had a lot of practise these last couple days."

"So... what? You kidnapped me, is that it?" Rayne laughed, pulling in the chain as fear crept up through his chest, eyes darting around the dark room as he struggled to make sense of it all. "For what, ransom? Or is this your idea of a romantic surprise? Because it's not exactly working."

"Oh no, nothing like that, love", Caspian said simply as he cut up another piece of the meat. He swept it around in the sauce, the dark liquid glinting red in the light from the candles. "This is all for revenge."

The cold darkness loomed in over Rayne, surrounding him on all sides. It wrapped itself around his throat, constricting his breath. It was ice against his skin and his torn fingertips, the blood glinting darkly in the trembling light from the candles. A log fell over in the fireplace, casting sudden shadows to dance over the table, before it became stable once more. It was fuzzy, dreamlike, yet sharp as a knife against his throat at the same time. It seemed unreal, this had to be a dream, couldn't actually be happening. But the chain around his neck was too cold to be a dream, felt too real against his fingers. The darkness that lured outside the reach of the light sent shivers down his spine. Caspian kept eating, the picture of cold indifference and grace, cutting through the meat with minimal effort. The silver cutlery caught the light from the candles, glinting gently in the light.

The first time Rayne had seen Caspian it had been on stage. A friend of his had dragged him to the theatre, chattering about the amazing performances. As the company had taken the stage Rayne had quickly understood that his friend wasn't there for the performance, but the particularly dashing woman with black hair that fell over her shoulders. Rayne had sighed, steeled himself for another night of a boring show only so his friend could oogle some poor actress, when suddenly something had caught his eye. A man, dressed all in black, and golden locks that glinted in the stage light. Every word he spoke vibrated with emotion and energy. With the lights on him he shone like the sun, a sight that had taken Rayne's breath away.

Now, the sun had disappeared behind stormy clouds. Terrifying darkness swallowed the facade of blinding light. The warmth that Rayne had known was gone, replaced by sharp cold. Even now, with the light from the candles and fireplace washing over him, Caspian was dark. The silence and the calmness terrified him. The silence was trembling with destructive energy, the calm before a storm. He wasn't sure how deep the darkness in Caspian was, and if he would survive if he was swept up in it. Even so, he could feel it creeping up his legs, taking a hold of him, and he had no way of escaping, kept in place by the chain.

"Something I've learned the last years is that you can never be sure of anything", Caspian suddenly said, and Rayne flinched. He chanced a glance up at Caspian, his heart speeding up in his chest. But Caspian was still cold, calm and collected, absentmindedly tracing the rim of his goblet with a finger. "Take the day of the play, for example. You thought it would be a nice evening, that you'd lean back in a comfortable chair and watch your little toy entertain you, wearing the rubies you had picked out. Then you'd return to your comfortable castle and fall asleep in a soft and warm bed. You thought you knew exactly how the evening would go, but then it didn't. No, instead you're here, chained to a chair, far from home. You can never be sure of anything." Caspian paused for a moment, taking a sip of his wine as his words burned in Rayne. "And the last thing you can be sure of is how long it will be until your next meal."

The hidden meaning wasn't lost on Rayne, he understood what Caspian wanted to say. This might be the last chance he had of eating in quite a while, which only closed his throat up more. The idea that Caspian would knowingly and willingly leave Rayne to starve for who knew how long made his stomach turn. When he looked down on the food in front of him he felt nausea well up inside him. But despite the warning, there was something else that was stuck with Rayne, something that burned in his mind.

"I", he begun, his mouth dry out of fear. "I didn't... I didn't think of you as a toy."

Caspian slammed his fork down in the meat. The soft thud was enough to make Rayne jump in his seat, and his heart rate sped up again when his eyes went to Caspian. The surface of calm that had been smooth as a mirror was now distorted with rage, his blonde hair hanging down over his eyes. Oh, fuck. Mistake, that was a mistake, he had made a mistake-

"Oh, is that so?" Caspian growled. The wood groaned as Caspian stood up, pushing his chair back. Rayne's breath caught in his throat, and he pulled in the chain again, trying to escape the approaching man. But the chain didn't give, and Rayne found himself stuck in place as the darkness crept in further, threatening to swallow him whole. "You didn't think of me as a toy, you say? Then what was I? A belonging, a war prize?"

"I don't-"

"I was a toy, Rayne!" Caspian grabbed Rayne's head, forcibly turning it until Rayne was looking up at him. Rage burned in his eyes. "A pretty little toy to sing and dance, to entertain and smile. A decoration on your arm, wearing your jewels, so that everyone knew I belonged to you. That was all I was to you, all I was meant to be." His nails dug into Rayne's cheeks, the venom in his voice burning hotter as he spat out accusations. "Did you enjoy the fact that I'm Braeyean too? Oh, it must have been a rush, wasn’t it? After defeating Breaye, after executing the queen and robbing the country, the Ashnian crown prince gets to keep a Breayean little pet to decorate and dominate at your every whim! You even put me in a cage!"

"I loved you!" Rayne spat out, finally finding his voice again. He barely had time to realise Caspian's hand disappeared from his cheek until pain exploded in his skin. The sound of the slap echoed in the hall, vibrating in Rayne's skin. A whimper of pain found it's way out through his clenched jaws, but it was soon overshadowed with fear again as Caspian once again forced Rayne to look up at him.

"Love?" Caspian spat. "You think you loved me? You think the things you did to me was _love?"_

"Yes", Rayne forced out. "Yes, it was! I loved you!"

"Locking me up was love to you? Choking me with your jealousy, hurting everyone that stepped too close to me was love? Hurting me, over and over again, expecting me to smile, that was love?"

"Please, Caspian, let me-"

The slap landed on the other cheek this time, the pain felt like fire in his skin. Caspian didn't hold back, and Rayne now came to realise just how much strength had been hiding beneath the surface. Tears of pain burned in his eyes, but he struggled to push them away, and tried to breathe his way through the pain instead. No more screams or venom was spat at him, and instead Caspian withdrew his hands. He remained by Rayne's side, just looking down at him. The cold was creeping back over him again.

"This is your whole problem, Rayne", he said, his voice cold again, but now Rayne could sense the barely held back fury in it. "You never listen to anyone but yourself. How many times haven't I told you tonight that my name isn't Caspian? Yet you still keep calling me that. Because you can't comprehend that I'm not the little toy that you tricked yourself into believing you loved. You don't love me. You loved owning Caspian, but you don't love me."

"Stop saying that!"

“I don’t need to follow your orders anymore.” 

The words alone felt like a slap in the face, effectively killing all the words in Rayne’s mouth. Was this truly what Caspian had been thinking all the time? Of himself, and of Rayne? That their relationship had been… forced, then? That Rayne had forced him into the relationship? That couldn’t be true, that… Rayne had never meant to force him. Locking him up had just been… Had been for his own good. He hadn’t even killed Ethan because Caspian had asked him not to. Had roughed him up, yes, but that was just to make sure he didn’t put his hands on Caspian anymore. He had just wanted Caspian to be safe… 

“It hurts, doesn’t it? To be slapped", Caspian said, leaning against the table. The indifference was back, the rage down to a cinder. He played with a lock of his hair, the blonde glowing orange in the light. "You should be happy I’ve already sold off the rings you gave me." The lock of hair fell through his fingers, settling into it's neat position by his jaw. Caspian's eyes locked onto Rayne's. "They would have hurt much more."

Rayne's eyes fell from Caspian's, landing in his lap. He couldn't take that scrutinizing look, the one that saw right through him, all the ugliness inside him. All the flaws he didn't even know himself. Not when coldness spread through the room, when the darkness crept in over its prey, swallowing Rayne whole. He had really thought he had loved Caspian, had thought his feelings to be genuine. But Caspian twisted his words, turned them over and inside out until Rayne couldn't recognize them anymore. Had he truly behaved in such a way that Caspian thought he was little more than a toy, a pet? The love that Rayne had thought was between them... It didn't exist within Caspian, that much was clear. But had it existed within Rayne? Or had it never been there at all, as Caspian thought? He had been so sure, so certain, that his feelings were love.

Was the darkness that consumed him Caspian's, or was it his own?

"You should eat, honey", Caspian said, his voice full of softness Rayne now could tell was false, the old nickname a twist of the knife. "I really went out of my way to get you this meat, and I would hate for it to go to waste."

Not even now, when the mask of Caspian slipped back on, when a soft smile lighted up his features... Rayne still couldn't see anything but the terrifying depth of dark underneath it. How could that smile once have fooled him? How could all the resentment have been hidden so well? How could Rayne not have noticed?... Caspian had said himself that he wasn't _that_ good of an actor, and yet... Rayne had never once even suspected something.

His arms felt like stone, and he didn't exactly want to put himself closer within range of Caspian, but he did as he was told. Orange light danced over the cutlery as he picked them up, the silver cold against his skin, reminding him of the chain around his neck. Caspian followed his every movement closely, patiently waiting as Rayne cut up a piece of the meat. He didn't bother with the potatoes or the sauce, wasn't sure if he could even handle the meat alone. His stomach turned again, another spike of nausea that went through his throat. He swallowed thickly, trying to push past the lump in his throat. The smell didn't feel enticing anymore, it just felt wrong. The pale meat stopped halfways to his mouth, as he struggled to fight off another spike of nausea. The fork trembled, the red sauce that coated one side of it shivering. A big, thick drop of sauce fell down in his lap. He wanted to throw up.

The meat was cold. Most of the flavours had seeped away with the heat, but the sauce struggled to make up for it. It was riddled with spices, soft and creamy over the gamey meat. Bile rose up the back of his throat, and he had to press a hand against his mouth to stop himself from throwing up. He bent his head down as far as the chain would allow, squeezing his eyes shut and struggled through the overwhelming sickness. He dearly wished he could spit out the meat in his mouth, but Caspian wouldn't allow that. Rayne wasn't certain what Caspian was capable of anymore, but he could tell he wouldn't hold back. The terror kept him from spitting the food out, but the nausea kept him from swallowing. He glanced up at Caspian, hoping for some kind of mercy. But Caspian's eyes were sharp, patiently waiting for Rayne to swallow. There was only one thing he could do.

Rayne forced the food down his throat. It did spark more nausea, and the smells of the food in front of him only worsened it. He squeezed his eyes shut, covering his mouth with both his hands to stop himself from throwing up. The chain rattled as Rayne squirmed, trying to find a position to keep his head in that eased the nausea. A sudden touch to his cheek made him flinch, but it was followed by a mockingly soothing hush. The touch remained soft, gentle against his cheek, a grave contrast to the pain that had burned earlier. It did help ground him through the nausea, and a small part of him was grateful for the touch, even though it made fear throb in his chest.

"There we go", Caspian praised, his voice still full of that false sweetness. "Now was that so hard?"

"Are you... Are you happy now?"

"Not yet, love. The finale is left. You still don't know who I am, do you? Or have you guessed it?"

"...No, I don't."

A smile spread over Caspian's face. It wasn't that falsely sweet smile, not the smile that had blinded Rayne and hidden all the darkness underneath it so well. This smile was poisoned with all the darkness that lured underneath, a window to all the resentment and hate. The lights glowed, dancing over Caspian's blonde hair, shimmering in his clothes. But his face was shrouded in darkness, twisted by sadism as the smile stretched out.

“Well, first of all, I really ought to tell you… That meat, my love, was the body of your late father.” 

Time stopped. For a moment the candlelight seemed to pause. The shadows stilled against the table. Not a single sound, not even a heartbeat, could be heard. The world had stopped, giving Rayne a second to try to process what Caspian had said. The meat… The pale, gamey meat wrapped in red sauce had been… Had been… 

Time resumed again, and it all came crashing down over Rayne. The air itself seemed to cascade down over him, leaving him drowning and gasping for air. His panicked mind was racing, fragments of thoughts running through his mind, too fast for him to try to piece them all together to something coherent. All he could do was sit there, gasping for air, as his mind struggled to process the words. His eyes never left Caspian’s, saw those cold eyes and the evil smile that told him that, no matter how he tried to push it away, it was the truth. 

His stomach turned, the nausea too strong to stave off, and all he could do was push his head to the side as fast as possible. The chain kept tight, refused to let up, refused to let Rayne even bend his head down over the side of the chair as he vomited. It splashed on the floor, a sickening wet noise, that dragged more of it’s kind from his stomach. It fell on the chair, splashed on his clothes, stuck to his chin. In his mouth he could once again feel the taste of the spices and the meat, now all covered in the overwhelming taste of acid, and it made him throw up once more. The chain kept tight, choking him as the bile filled his throat, tears burning in his eyes. 

It wasn’t until he had nothing left to throw up that it calmed down, and by then the vomit stained the floor and his clothes. The sickly smell burned in his nose. His eyelashes were wet, and it took a few moments for him to calm down enough to register the sound of Caspian’s laughter. The sound that just a few days ago would have brought a smile to his lips was now jarring in his ears. It rang cold, and hollow, full of sadistic glee. It made Rayne’s stomach turn again, but thankfully no more vomit burned in his throat. 

“Oh, Rayne”, Caspian cooed. “I dare say that was a more brilliant performance than many of my own! A fantastic show, exactly what I wanted. I know you had the makings of becoming a rather wonderful entertainer, with the right training.” 

“Why”, Rayne gasped, keeping his head turned away so he wouldn’t have to see the joy he knew could be found in Caspian’s face. “Why are you doing this?!” 

“Well, that’s actually kinda funny, if you look at it that way…” Caspian said, and he straightened himself up. He thoughtfully ran his hand up the clean armrest of Rayne’s chair as he slowly walked, making Rayne push himself further into the armrest soaked in vomit to put distance between them. “I actually wasn’t planning on doing any of this at first. I was going to let you get away with how you treated me, and be satisfied with killing your father. That was the main goal, after all, and you were just a trial to endure until I reached that goal. But then…” Caspian came to a stop behind the chair, his hands resting on the back of the chair. The cold in his voice was back. “Then you went and hurt Ethan, and I simply couldn’t let that go unpunished.” 

“Who-” Rayne struggled, bending his head back as far as the chain would allow. “Who are you?!” 

Caspian’s hand gently came to a rest under Rayne’s chin, bending his head back a little further. A whine of pain struggled out through his clenched jaws, as his eyes met Caspian’s. A new smile graced Caspian’s face, a smile that turned Rayne’s innards into knots. The darkness in it terrified him to his very core, the painful knowledge that he had no idea what Caspian was capable of. The blonde locks hanged from his face, curling in the air above Rayne’s face. The candlelight danced over his features, the shadows distorting his facial features into a monster. Caspian’s one thumb was gently stroking Rayne’s skin. Terror shook Rayne deep to his core as Caspian’s mouth opened. 

“I am Crown Prince Dominic of Breaye, and now, my love, you are _my_ toy.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are highly apprecieated!


End file.
